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Have you heard about Steubenville’s newest residents?   Well, for at least a couple months each year at Christmastime,  Steubenville will be inhabited by the “Nutcrackers”.

These life sized (6′ tall) Nutcrackers will take up residence at Fort Steuben Park beginning in December, as well as appear in a number of store fronts and be featured in the 2015 Steubenville Christmas Parade.

And the best part is, these fellows are Steubenville ‘Natives’.  They are completely created and manufactured (born so to speak) here in Steubenville at the locally owned Nelson Fine Art & Gifts.   They each have a name and birth day too!

This year will mark the introduction and opening of “Steubenville’s Nutcracker Village” at Fort Steuben Park, 120 S. Third Street,  so be sure to come and welcome your new ‘neighbors’ and while you’re here, stop in the Visitor Center and visit Christmas Wonderland and the Christmas Gift Shop.

Check out the video below to see how it all happens…. you will be amazed!

As part of the annual Civil War program at Historic Fort Steuben, historian Roger Micker will present a lecture on fiery abolitionist John Brown on Tuesday evening, November 17th at 6:00PM in the Fort Steuben Visitor Center in Steubenville.

“Herman Melville proclaimed John Brown the ‘meteor’ of the protagonists of the Civil War,” explained Micker, “and many of the issues he raised are still debated today.”

December 2nd marks the 156th anniversary of Brown’s execution at Charlestown, Virginia for his violent and unsuccessful raid on Harper’s Ferry Armory.  Micker’s presentation will focus on the influences surrounding Brown’s life and the conflicts between abolitionists and pro-slavery groups in Missouri and Kansas as well as the raid on Harper’s Ferry.

Micker retired from teaching at Steubenville High School in 2012.  He has given presentations at Gettysburg, Stones River, Harper’s Ferry and Antietam and lectures at various tri-state area historical organizations.  He is a member of the: Ohio Civil War Sesquicentennial Committee; Ohio Historical Connections; Ohio Valley Civil War Roundtable;  Friends of Gettysburg; Ohio Graduation Testing Committee;  re-enactor, living historian, and preservationist.  He also writes articles published by the Ohio CW 150 committee.

The program will be held in conjunction with the exhibit Ohio and the Civil War in the Exhibit Hall at the Visitor Center, 120 South 3rd Street, Steubenville.  The program is free, though donations are welcome.  For more information, call 740.283.1787.

This year Christmas in Steubenville will have new and exciting additions.

Our annual Christmas Parade to be held on December 12th at Noon in downtown Steubenville has a brand new theme “Sights & Sounds of Christmas: Nutcracker Dreams” to coincide with the newly established “Nutcracker Village” located at  Fort Steuben Park.  The “Nutcracker Village” will be festively decorated with trees, lights, and of course some 35 life-sized Nutcrackers and will run from December 4th until January 10th. The 6′ Nutcrackers are manufactured locally at Nelson’s Fine Arts & Gifts and can be custom designed for purchase or rental.

Another new addition this year is the Advent Market, which will also take place at the Fountain area of Fort Steuben Park.  The Advent Market will be open December 4th (4pm-9pm), December 5th (3pm-9pm), December 8th, Light-up Night (4pm-8pm), December 11th (4pm-9pm) and December 12th, Christmas Parade Day, (Noon-9pm).  The Market will feature Food, Local Artisans, Christmas Gifts, Hayrides, Music and fun for the whole family!

Also,  inside Historic Fort Steuben/ Steubenville Visitor Center will be ‘Christmas Wonderland’.  A beautiful, and extensive, display of trees, trimmings, lights, and many other wonderful ‘surprises’.  It will be open to visitors from December 1st through January 31st.  There will also be a Christmas Shop, featuring a large selection of Christmas decorations and items,  in addition to the Fort Steuben Museum Gift Shop.  The Visitor Center is open Monday through Friday from 10am – 4pm.  The visitor center will be closed for Christmas Holiday from December 24th through January 4th, and during that time, Christmas Wonderland, may be visited by appointment.

The Visitor Center and Fort Steuben Park are located at 120 South 3rd Street, Steubenville.

The 2015 Steubenville Christmas Parade will be themed “Sights & Sounds of Christmas – Nutcracker Dreams” in keeping with the new Steubenville Nutcracker Village initiative.   Entrants who choose the option of participating in the Nutcracker theme will be eligible for judging in two categories, with 1st, 2nd and 3rd prizes in each.   There will also be a 6′ Nutcracker awarded as the ‘Grand Prize’.

The 6′ Nutcrackers, manufactured locally by Nelson’s Fine Arts & Gifts are also available for rent/sponsorship or purchase.  Contact Nelson’s at 740.282.7101 for more information or pick up a brochure at the Visitor Center at 120 S. 3rd Street or Nelson’s Gifts, 980 Lincoln Ave.

The parade date has been changed from December 5th to December 12th because of a scheduling conflict.  It will be still held at noon, along 4th Street,  and will be broadcast live on WTOV9/FOX9.  Entries are coming in daily and hopefully we may surpass last year’s number. If you would like to have an entry in the parade, please call 740.283.4935 or email: mary@visitsteubenville.com.   Regardless of the size or the weather, it is always a good time for everyone!

The first new mural to be added to the Steubenville City of Murals in 18 years has been completed and will be dedicated on Saturday, October 3rd, 2015 at 12:00pm.  There will be a reception following at the Historic Fort Steuben Visitor Center located at 120 s. 3rd Street.

The very large and impressive new mural depicts the War Department Telegraph Office in the Civil War, with Abraham Lincoln, the 16th President of the United States along with Edwin M. Stanton, his Secretary of War and David Homer Bates, his telegraph operator.  Both Stanton and Bates are Steubenville natives.

The mural is located in the 100 block of North Third Street at the parking lot near the Drive-thru of PNC Bank.

There will be another one of the current murals refurbished this fall, and plans are in the making for several more new murals to be added, including a sports mural featuring local area athletes and personalities who have gone on to ‘make it big’.

Anyone wishing to contribute to the Mural project is asked to contact the Visitor Center at 740.283.4835.

The Public Library of Steubenville & Jefferson County has proclaimed September “Library Card Sign-Up Month”, a time to make sure that all students have the most important school supply of all – a current library card.

The bookmobile will be at Kroger in Hollywood City Center, Steubenville on September 2nd & 23rd from 10:00am to 2:00pm. Stop by and register yourself and your children.   You may also register for a library card at the main or any branch of the Public Library.

Also, during the month of September, show your current library card at Sincerely Yogurt in Steubenville and receive 15% off your order (certain restrictions apply).

Next weekend, September 5th-6th, is the 38th Annual Toronto Festival of the Arts.   This festival has grown in size and popularity and offers something for everyone including a diverse variety of handmade arts and crafts, continual live entertainment, hourly raffles,  a huge variety of delicious food and so much more.

The festival is open on Saturday from 10:00am to 8:00pm and on Sunday from 12:00pm to 5:00pm.

After 18 long years there is a finally a new Mural going up in downtown Steubenville.  In 1986 the Mural project began with the creation of the mural entitled ‘Market Street’ and grew over the next 11 years.  The murals were hugely popular and have drawn many visitors to the city from all over.  In the years following, numerous murals have been restored and unfortunately some have been lost due to the demolishing of the buildings on which they were painted, but no additions.

So now it is very exciting to have a new mural underway.  This mural will depict the War Department Telegraph Office in the Civil War with President Abraham Lincoln, Edwin McMasters Stanton, his Secretary of War and Steubenville native, and David Homer Bates, Lincoln’s telegraph operator during the war, also a Steubenville native.

The artist is Ruston Baker from Millersburg, Ohio.  ‘Rusty’ has painted many murals as well as other works and is renowned for his artistic talent.

The mural is on a building owned by Tri-State Printing which is located in the 100 block of North 3rd Street and is visible from the parking area and drive-thru of PNC Bank. It is fascinating to watch this larger than life historic scene take shape.  Feel free to come by and see for yourself!

Watch for the date and time of the Dedication Ceremony which will be announced.

Historian and author R.W. Dick Phillips will be signing copies of his latest book ‘Arthur St. Clair: The Invisible Patriot‘ at BookMarx Bookstore on Saturday, July 25th, 2015.

The book sheds light on one of the most influential yet little-known Revolutionary War heroes.  In addition to being one of George Washington’s 30 major generals, St. Clair is also credited with stopping the British Virgina governor from annexing what is currently Pittsburgh in 1774 as well as establishing a judicial system for six states of the Northwest Territory.  St. Clair established Jefferson County and named Steubenville after his friend Gen. Von Steuben.  He is also the namesake for the Ohio city where Phillips currently resides.  Phillips also credits St. Clair as possibly being the true mastermind behind Washington’s famous crossing of the Delaware.

BookMarx Bookstore, is located at 181 N. Fourth Street, and will be hosting different writers and artists each month.

For more information contact BookMarx at 740.282.6100.

Bluegrass & Country Night Concert at the Berkman Amphitheater featuring The Mayfields and Black Horse Band has been

canceled due to the weather.   The concert has been re-scheduled for Thursday, August 13th.